4-year-old boy shot in stomach during road rage incident, police say
A 4-year-old is recovering after he was shot in his abdomen during a road rage incident in Kansas Wednesday afternoon, police said.
The incident began in downtown Wichita around 4:55 p.m. after "some type of cutting off" occurred, Wichita Police Chief Gordon Ramsay told reporters after the shooting.
Someone in a silver Ford Mustang then fired at least two shots at a blue Chevrolet Tahoe with three adults and six children inside, and the 4-year-old was struck in the stomach, Ramsay said. It is unclear which vehicle cut the other off, he added.
The Mustang fled the scene after the shooting, police said.
Police arrested Wichita residents Ramonyka Smith, 21, and Tylin Atkinson, 19, in connection with the shooting, the department announced Thursday in a press release. Atkinson allegedly exited the sports car to fire the shots, police said.
The boy, who was sitting in a rear passenger seat on the right side of the SUV, was in stable but critical condition after he was shot, Ramsay said. A bystander who called 911 told dispatchers that he or she found the boy behind a McDonald's, The Wichita Eagle reported.
This year, Wichita has been averaging about three road rage incidents involving a gun per week, Ramsay said.
"I've been talking about concerns about people using guns as a way to resolve conflict," he said. "It's been driving our shootings up."
Smith and Atkinson were charged with aggravated battery, unlawful discharge of a firearm into an occupied vehicle and no proof of insurance, jail records show. Smith was also charged with speeding, while Atkinson was also charged with two counts of failing to comply, not having a valid driver's license, two tag violations and a headlight violation.
Smith is being held on $101,500 bond, while Atkinson is being held on $254,000 bond. It is unclear whether they had retained attorneys.
Travon Coleman, who was also inside the Mustang, was taken into custody for outstanding warrants, police said. He and Atkinson were inside the vehicle when it was stopped, and Smith was later located at a residence in Wichita, police said.
ABC News' Rachel Katz contributed to this report.
